Follow Us on Google
Raises fresh alarm over insecurity, funding, hostile, hate speech campaigns
___________________________________________________________________________
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has disclosed that the commission will activate intelligence operations against the disturbing cases of vote buying during next year’s general elections.
Amupitan made the disclosure while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Imo State on Wednesday.
Themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections”, the electoral umpire boss lamented that vote buying has become so entrenched that perpetrators no longer indulge in it at the polling units.
Raising fresh alarm over security and funds for the elections, Amupitan emphasised that election security depends on adequate funding of the polls.
He frowned at the volume of hate speech during political campaigns, revealing that plans are in place to ensure that those found guilty will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted, challenging the police to live up to their responsibility.
While addressing the menace of vote buying, the commission’s chairman revealed that plans are in place to constitute a giant task force, which will involve everybody on the same platform, including the Federal Minister of Justice, the Attorney General’s office and the instrumentality of ICCES, to ensure that it is tackled collectively.
According to him: “That is part of what we just discussed here. We need to do a lot of intelligence work. Because these things are done and planned before the election. And most of the issues of vote buying now, you don’t even see them at the polling units. They are done outside of the polling units.”
“So, we need to activate intelligence, because in operations we have the brain of operations, we have the hands of operations, we have also the mind of operations. And so the mind of operations has to do with how you can use intelligence to fish out some of those things and deal with them. But beyond that, we are also trying to have a form of giant task force, bringing everybody on the same platform, including the Federal Minister of Justice, the Attorney General’s office and the instrumentality of ICCES, to ensure that we tackle it collectively.
“Because we don’t have powers to arrest them. We don’t have powers to investigate. But so long as people are waiting to be bought or to trade, then it will still become a viable business. But you saw what happened in some places now, that as far as INEC is concerned, we will do our own bit, ensure that logistics is right, in terms of result management, and then improve on what has gone out, and ensure that we have a very successful election,” he disclosed.
Other News
Speaking further, he admitted that: “The commission’s number one concern is the issue of security because there are still some states in Nigeria where you have a lot of insecurity around. It is a major source of concern for us because that can be a source of disenfranchisement of Nigerians, and we don’t want any Nigerian to be disenfranchised.
“So, it is a top priority for INEC, and we are here to liaise and partner with the Nigerian police, the lead agency on election security, so that we can address and strategise towards having elections in those volatile areas,” he noted.
Amupitan equally spoke on pending pre-election issues, noting: “There are pre-election matters, which are within the province of the courts. If there is a disputation over the primaries, most of them are already in the courts. And it is very clear from the Electoral Act that in such cases it is the court that has the decision.
“But mind you, it has to be litigated up to the final court. So that is just a concern. However, you know elections are contested by political parties, not candidates. So at the end of the day, that does not stop election from being properly conducted for the political party. And whichever decision that comes out at the end of the day, INEC will abide by it,” he promised.
The commission’s boss elaborated more on the security, noting: “Security is like this roadmap to election management. So, definitely. You heard of us talking about ICCES. Some of the things we discussed here, some of the suggestions here, we take it to ICCES. And then especially as to the rule of engagement and the modus operandi on election day.”
“Some of the issues will definitely have to be addressed when we call the meeting of ICCES, consisting of the IGP himself, myself as the chairman, and about 13 other agencies, including the office of the NSA. It is a very good conference, and I was happy that they organised it and I am part of it. We have gained a lot and also shared our own viewpoint on some aspects,” he said.
On the cantankerous nature of the political campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, Amupitan said: “That is part of what we discussed here. We talked about this issue of campaign, and that campaign should be based on issues, not on personality. And what we are seeing is just because of lack of political tolerance. In some ways, we are trying to take some measures to ensure that parties are brought back.
“Elections should not be a do or die affair. Election should be based on issues and not campaign of calumny and denigration. So the fact that we have not been, even if we give all agents circulars every day, you know, we are working with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that those, there are offences under the Act, under the Electoral Act.
“So, just trying to ensure that those that are guilty of it, be arrested, investigated, and even prosecuted. And it is the responsibility of the police. So that is part of why I decided to come here to also talk about it,” he noted.
The INEC chairman was accompanied by National Commissioners Dr Ken Nnamdi Ukeagu and Rear Admiral Jamila Abubakar Malaga (Retd), OFR, mni; the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Chukwuemeka C Ibeziakor, Esq; and the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Chairman, Mr Adedayo Oketola. Also on the entourage were Mustapha Muhammad Dogondaji, Personal Assistant; Ahmad Yusuf, Executive Assistant (Finance); and Barr. Ezeh N Emmanuel, Head of Legal, INEC Imo State.
